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Review: Starbucks La Boulange Marshmallow Dream Bar

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Black Friday shopping always starts with breakfast at our favorite coffee shop. This year we had to make an adjustment after discovering our favorite shop was no longer there. Not many places were open at 4:30 AM, so we settled on Starbucks, as I knew I could drink the coffee (and I brought my own almond milk).

While none of the mixed coffee drinks are considered safe for those on a gluten-free diet and none of the bakery items are gluten-free, I knew there were some pre-packaged snacks that would suffice. Kind Bars are usually found at the counter in Starbucks, along with these newer Marshmallow Dream Bars from La Boulange.

IMG 4065Probably not the most nutritious way to start out my day, but a nice treat, nonetheless.

Ingredients:

marshmallow (corn syrup, sugar, modified corn starch, gelatin), crisped rice (rice, brown sugar, salt, distilled monoglycerides), corn syrup, salted butter (cream [from milk], salt), sugar, sea salt, maltodextrin, vanilla extract.

The Marshmallow Dream Bar (certified gluten-free) tasted just as good, if not better than the version I make at home. This version was a little softer and definitely gooey, just as it should be. Starbucks has locations across the US, though they may not have these bars available. Word on the street (net) is there is also a pre-packaged gluten-free chocolate cookie, though I have yet to see one.

Have you tried the Starbucks La Boulange Marshmallow Dream Bar? Have you seen the gluten-free chocolate cookie? 

Review: Barilla Gluten-Free Pasta

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 6 Comments

There are many different brands and varieties of gluten-free pasta on the market these days. Some of the pasta is made from rice, some from corn and some are a combination of gluten-free grains. Having such a variety helps drive down the price, which is great for us consumers. Barilla introduced gluten-free pasta to their line-up recently and it is priced very reasonably at $2.19/package (Meijer).

Barilla Gluten-Free Pasta is made from non-GMO rice and corn, made in a dedicated gluten-free facility, certified gluten-free (GFCO), and tastes like real (not gluten-free) pasta.

IMG 3868I decided to make a simple pasta dish with the Barilla gluten-free Spaghetti variety and Prego Three Cheese sauce.

This pasta really does taste “real” and very much like what I remember pasta tasting like. It isn’t sticky or gummy and even tastes good cold the next day! I love that there are four different shapes of Barilla gluten-free Pasta:

  • Elbows
  • Penne
  • Rotini
  • Spaghetti

Look for Barilla gluten-free Pasta in the pasta aisle of your favorite local grocery store. Have you tried the new gluten-free pasta from Barilla? What did you think? 

Review: Great Value Gluten-Free Cookies

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff Leave a Comment

Just a little over a week ago I purchased several of the new Walmart brand, Great Value, gluten-free products. We have been working our way through them and today’s review will focus on the cookies. There are three different varieties of gluten-free cookies in the Great Value line-up:

  • Shortbread Cookies
  • Vanilla Sandwich Cookies
  • Cocoa Sandwich Cookies

IMG 2758The sandwich cookies are just like their non-gluten-free counterparts…they taste great, have a wonderful texture, and are great to dip in milk (especially vanilla almond milk!). The Shortbread Cookies are very good, however, 2/3 of the package was crumbled or broken. I am not sure if that was an isolated incident or a problem with that cookie. If it turns out to be an ongoing problem, they would still be good as ice cream toppers or used as a crust for a pie or cheesecake.

All products are certified gluten-free by the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness gluten-free Certification Program. Walmart has locations across the US – check here for the location closest to you.

Have you tried any of the Walmart branded gluten-free products? 

Review: Red Lobster Gluten-Free

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We went on a short road trip yesterday to Cleveland to see my grandmother and have lunch with her. One of my grandmother’s favorite restaurants is Red Lobster, so we picked her up and away we went. Having previously written about the gluten-free at Red Lobster, I knew there would be plenty of options for me to choose from and I was especially excited about dessert.

The gluten-free menu at Red Lobster is updated on a regular basis and has the dates that it’s valid for listed at the top of the page. Frequently updated allergen menus are important as suppliers and ingredients can change. After browsing the menu I finally settled on the Wood-Grilled Salmon with Baked Potato & Green Beans (dry). The dish also came with broccoli.

IMG 2737My salmon was cooked perfectly, as were the vegetables. I hate mushy broccoli, so I was thrilled when it came out perfectly. I thought the grilled lemon was a nice touch. Dessert, NY Style Cheesecake with Strawberries, was on my mind from the time I walked in the door, though I wondered how the cheesecake would be gluten-free with the crust. Turns out there is no crust!

I don’t think I can put into words how wonderful this cheesecake was! It was creamy, rich, dense, and full of flavor and I didn’t miss the crust one bit. Now that I know that this dessert is as phenomenal as it is, I see frequent stops by my local Red Lobster, which happens to be less than 10 minutes from my house. To-go cheesecake, anyone? It is a good thing I am training for a marathon this fall! Red Lobster has locations across the US and has a restaurant locator on the top left of their home page.

Have you eaten gluten-free at Red Lobster? Did you try the NY Style Cheesecake?

Firebirds Wood Fired Grill Gluten-Free Menu

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Living in Columbus, Ohio means having access to a plethora of restaurants that offer gluten-free menus. While it used to be that we only had a handful of places where we knew we could dine gluten-free safely, there are so many now that it is often hard to decide. I’ll take that any day over only having a couple to choose from.

Official Website Menu Information: Firebirds Gluten-Free Menu
Location Finder: Find a Firebirds Location Near You

Below we’ve collected what foods are currently safe to eat at Firebirds Wood Fired Grill for your convenience:

Firebirds Wood Fired Grill Gluten-Free Menu

  • Salads & Entree Salads
  • Soups
  • Entrees
  • Seafood, Ribs & Combos
  • Sides (Seven different choices)
  • Kids Menu
  • Flourless Chocolate Cake

The Grilled Shrimp & Strawberry Salad and Grilled Tenderloin Salad have caught my eye and I can’t wait to try them!

As always, when dining out gluten-free, do your due diligence and make sure the staff understands your needs. There are very few restaurants that are 100% gluten-free, so cross-contamination is always a risk. If you don’t feel comfortable with what you are hearing from the staff, perhaps it is best to dine elsewhere.

For information about other gluten-free restaurants menus, check out our gluten-free restaurants page.

Firebirds Wood Fired Grill has locations in thirteen different states. Have you dined gluten-free at Firebirds Wood Fired Grill? Please share your experience below.